Benni by Benni McCarthy and Mark Gleeson
Pan Macmillan South Africa is proud to announce the publication of Benni, the authorised biography of South African football icon Benni McCarthy.
Benni tells the full, unvarnished story of his rise from the gang-ravaged streets of Hanover Park on the Cape Flats to the biggest stadiums in the world.
Benni McCarthy is South Africa’s most successful footballer – he’s the all-time top scorer for Bafana Bafana, the country’s only Champions League winner, and he is now forging a successful career as a coach.
Benni has gone from growing up in the ganglands of the Cape Flats to playing at some of the biggest arenas in sport, moving from South Africa as a teenager to become a much-prized player at clubs in the Netherlands, Spain and England. He was the top scorer at the Africa Cup of Nations finals, he also found the back of the net at the World Cup, and he helped FC Porto and their fabled coach José Mourinho to win the top club prize in world football.
Benni by Benni McCarthy and Mark Gleeson
by Benni McCarthy
‘Benni had everything that a coach loves in a player.’ – José Mourinho
Benni McCarthy is South Africa’s most successful footballer – he’s the all-time top scorer for Bafana Bafana, the country’s only UEFA Champions League winner, and he is now forging a successful career as a coach.
Benni has gone from growing up in the ganglands of the Cape Flats to playing at some of the biggest arenas in sport, moving from South Africa as a teenager to become a much-prized player at clubs in the Netherlands, Spain and England. He was the top scorer at the Africa Cup of Nations finals, he also found the back of the net at the World Cup, and he helped FC Porto and their fabled coach José Mourinho to win the top club prize in world football.
Since hanging up his boots, Benni has embarked on a coaching career that has seen him win silverware in South Africa and then go on to work on the staff at Manchester United. He is now building a national team for Kenya as they ready themselves to host the 2027 Cup of Nations tournament.
Overcoming formidable obstacles has been the hallmark of Benni’s career, be it defying neighbourhood gang bosses, a series of vindictive coaches or self-serving South African football administrators. His defiant approach to officialdom often landed him in hot water but he has always stayed true to his principles, resulting in a love-hate relationship with Bafana Bafana that has never been properly explained … until now.
"We are incredibly proud to announce the publication of Benni McCarthy’s authorised biography, written by Mark Gleeson," says Terry Morris, MD of Pan Macmillan South Africa. "Benni’s journey is one of the inspiring South African success stories. This candid and honest book will resonate deeply with readers, not only because of his exceptional sporting success, but because of the grit and determination that define Benni’s character."
The book details the formidable obstacles Benni overcame, including defying neighbourhood gang bosses and navigating a career often marked by controversy. It offers a fresh perspective on his "love-hate relationship with Bafana Bafana" and his transition into a successful coaching career.
‘Benni had everything that a coach loves in a player.’ – José Mourinho
MARK GLEESON has been writing and broadcasting about football in South Africa, and the wider continent, for the last four decades. He has worked for all the major newspaper groups, launched the magazine Kick Off and did the television commentary for South Africa’s first World Cup appearance in 1998. He is also a long-standing correspondent on African football for various international publications and agencies and has worked at eight World Cup and fourteen Africa Cup of Nations tournaments. Benni and Mark worked closely together in the interviews, research and writing of this definitive biography
